Improvement in trace-buckles



A. MGMULLEN.

Trace-Buckle.

No. 215,829. Patented May 27,1879.'

. Pa x I Q a R KNEWNSN mnumu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADAM MOMULLEN, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRACE-BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,829, dated May 27,1879; application filed March 3, 1879.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADAM MCMULLEN, of thecity of Sterling, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace- Buckles; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in trace-buckles; and the objectof my invention is to provide a buckle in which the tongue of the buckleshall be removed from the billet or trace, as distinguished from theremoval of the trace from the buckle.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of my invention in use. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section on line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of therear end of the hame-tug, with that part of the buckle which is attachedthereto. Fig. 4 is'a detached view of the plate 0 and ton gueframe D.

A is the rear end of the hame-tug. D is the tongue-frame, consisting ofthe two closed ends a b and two closed sides, 0 c. The sides 0 c arebent outwardly at right angles at about two-fifths of their length fromtheir inner end. The inner end, a, is sewed into the hame-tug, or it maybe fastened detachably with a screw. The outer end, b, of thetongue-frame D is formed with a flat inner surface and arearward-extending tip, d. On the inner surface of the end b, at aboutthe junction of the tip d therewith, is formed the tongue E. By placingthe tongue E outside of the line of the frame D, and by reason of thesides of the frame D being perpendicular to the trace, by pushing thelatter toward the hame, the tongue E automatically withdraws itself fromthe trace; also, byreason of the outer portion of the sides 0 c of theframe D being formed perpendicularly to the trace B, the draft islargely held on such sides 0 c and tip d without materially compressingthe trace. The tongue E stands perpendicular with the surface from whichit rises, and is about one-half the length of that part of the sides ofthe frame D with which it is parallel.

B is the end of the trace. 0 is a metallic plate, having the ordinaryloops 0 e c to respectively receive the back-band, belly-band, andbreeching-straps, and having also the squaresided hole f for thereception of the frame D, and, like hole 9, to receive the trace B. Ametallic trace-loop, h, is formed near the front end of the plate 0 toassist in holding the end of the trace, and the leather loops i 43 onthe hame-tu g A perform the like office.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The tongue-frame D, beingattached to the hame-tug A, is passed outwardly through the hole f inthe plate 0, the tip (1 extending rearward. The end of the trace B isthen passed from the rear through the hole 9 in the plate 0, under thetongue E, through the metallic loop 11. and leather loops 6 i. V Theattachment of the frame D to the hame-tug A is pivotal, and the frame Dis therefore readily turned forward and back. As the trace B is passedunder the tongue E the latter can be turned into such hole of the traceas may be desired.

It will be found, in practice, that much of the draft on the frame Dcomes against the sides of the hole f, thus relieving, in a greatmeasure, the tongue E and the holes in the trace. The main advantage,however, in my invention is, that it permits of the Withdrawal of thetongue E, and thereby the shifting of the trace Without taking the tracefrom the loop.

In changing from a wagon to a sled, or to a plow or harrow, or in usingthe same harness on different-sized horses, it is often necessary tochange the length of the traces. The latter usually became stiff withuse, and in former buckles such removal is accomplished only by removingthe trace from the loops, so as to lift such trace from thebuckle-tongue. As such loops contract from repeated moisture and age,the removal of the trace therefrom is generally the most difficult partof the process of unbuckling the trace, as the trace had to be drawnobliquely to the line of the loops. In my invention,to unbuckle thetrace, the operator merely seizes the tip 01 and turns the tongue ,E outof the hole in the trace, the frame D permitting this by pivoting in thehame-tug A, when the trace can be slipped in the direct line of theloops, which can be easily done.

This process of unbuckling, it will be seen, instead of bulging thetrace outward from the loops in order to get it in position for removalfrom the buckle, (as was the old plan,) leaves the trace undisturbeduntil unbuckled, and the process of unbuckling with my invention isdistinguished from that of all former ones in that I remove the bucklefrom the trace, instead of the trace from the buckle.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is--

